’We value your prayers for discernment’ Andrew Leake in Argentina
In the light of the sad events in the Philippines and the raging international debate on the effects of climate change, it was somewhat surreal today to walk into the Secretaria de Ambiente, the agency responsible for the environment, and find their staff working full speed to issue deforestation permits.
I went with Marcelo, my work colleague, and we were both shocked to find a whole pile (literally) of deforestation requests stacked up waiting for authorization. We could only examine and photograph 2 files (300 to 400 pages plus maps!), but these alone will result in the loss of a further 45.000 acres of Chaco forest. Some proposals directly affect indigenous communities. Others threaten the area we are trying to help protect.
Land for Life (Fundación Refugio) is only group seeking and tracking information on deforestation permits in Salta. We pass this information on to those people who are most affected by the proposals. We are currently overwhelmed with requests for information from al angles, especially from the more isolated communities.
Our resources are limited, so we would value your prayers for discernment in where and when to act, and when to stand back (which we find extremely difficult when so much injustice is being done in the name of economic progress).
Yours in Christ
Andrew and Maria
November 2013